Australian Seafood Fish and Chippery

11 Hossack St
Coburg North, VIC 3058

One of my fondest childhood memories is going to the local take-away for fish and chips on a Friday night, and whilst waiting for our order, popping into the Blockbuster next door to pick up a stack of videos. I absolutely adored that fish and chippery; they always gave you a massive pile of chips, and more often than not you’d find an extra goodie or two in your butcher paper-wrapped bundle.

These days I’m a little more discerning with my fish and chips. With that said though, I don’t think I’ll ever get over the perfection that is a good piece of beer-battered fish with a squeeze of lemon. And if the Herald Sun says that Australian Seafood Fish and Chippery does the best fish in Melbourne… well, I’d better go and check it out.

Australian Seafood Fish and Chippery started out 5 years ago as a seafood wholesaler, and have been cooking to order for the last 2. Sitting in an industrial estate, it’s in a place where a top-notch fish and chippery basically has no business being. Yet it probably sees more patronage than all the take-aways in the area combined. The wait is a long one – about 20 minutes for our order, but it’s clear that it’s because they’re trying to do things right; just look at how vibrant that seafood is!

The Grill Pack ($10) came with a piece of grilled flake, your choice of rice or chips, and a side of Greek salad or coleslaw. Lightly bronzed and drizzled with a smooth lemon balm, the fish tasted clean and fresh. The Greek salad was equally as good, the crunchy vegetables mixed through with creamy chunks of feta and a lightly tangy dressing.

But what really stole the show was the additional piece of Battered Blue Grenadier ($6). Despite being the size of my forearm, this piece of fish was exquisitely cooked. The fish was firm and flaky, encased with a golden batter that disintegrated with a crispy whisper. The fish was also well drained, and the fresh cooking oil meant that there was no greasy mouth-feel.

I was tempted by the garlic butter crab, but it sounded much too messy to be eating in a parking lot, so I settled for the Honey Sesame Bug Tails ($9.5, 4pcs). The crisp batter gave way to sweet, pearly bug tails, garnished simply with sticky honey and a scattering of sesame seeds.

I was astounded by the quality of the food at Australian Seafood Fish and Chippery, and Chris is frankly delighted to have such a good place for fish and chips right nearby his house. You can also buy the fresh seafood to take home, but it probably won’t be as good as what they make – just sayin’.

Rating: 13.5/20 – tuesday surprises.
This rating reflects my personal experience at the time of visit.